to not understand why people go to Aldi & Lidl...

[TheBeautifulVisit]

… it's such a horrible shopping experience.

It reminded me of being in a co-op in my very small hometown circa 1977. And then when you've got a trolley full of their stuff and queue up to pay there's that humiliating bit at the end where they don't give you sufficient time to pack your groceries. They just expect you to very quickly remove your groceries and go and pack them elsewhere, with no bags.

I feel assaulted.

Can you please tell me

1. how far away is your Aldi or Lidl & why do you go?

2. what do you miss about your old supermarket? (which one was it)

3. how much do you spend there each time you go

It was cheaper than my normal shopping but actually I didn't buy my normal shopping: no fresh chives, no fresh ginger, no butternut squash, no purple sprouting broccoli, no green peppercorns, no little tubs of anchovies & olives from the Waitrose deli. I travelled much further to get there.

And there's no delivery.

Why why why?

I have an ocado shop twice a month and use lidl in between. It's my new favourite shop.

Every time my I ask my kids if they like something they roll their eyes whilst laughing.

Liddels again!

Fagnums (fake magnums) are excellent

I shop in Lidl and Aldi because I grew up shopping there in Germany, I don't like normal supermarkets at all, too busy and too bright.

I also shop there because my weekly food budget is £20 and I like to eat nice meat and fruit and veg, which I can't afford elsewhere.

I like the fact that you have to buy bags, because it's better for the environment, because I bring my own reusable bags.

I like that the tills are quick and fuss free, no chatting and I can fill the trolley then take time packing my stuff before I go. I go on the bus, so I have a shopping trolley and rucksack, I don't pay bus fares because I am disabled, so it works out cheaper for me.

I like the lack of brand competitors, because that way I don't have to struggle to make a choice, and it's all always in the same place as it was last time I visited.

I also respect them because they pay their staff a decent wage. About £9 an hour last time I looked. If I had to pick a supermarket to work at it would most likely be Aldi.

I also love the lucky dip of items they do. Have found some really great bargains there.

I also think it's good that you have to buy bags. Hopefully it will encourage people to reuse them, as far too many free bags are wasted by being thrown away without being reused.

Tesco and Asda insist on providing free bags but have made them so uselessly thin so they can claim that less plastic is used in their bag supply. But if people pay a few pence for a bag that can be reused a few times that is much better for the environment.

If I forget to take bags to aldi I pick up a couple of boxes in the shop and use them instead.

I went to Aldi once, but I didn't know the rules.

So I stood there like a numpty while all my stuff piled up and I didn't have any bags ready and everybody huffed at me and rolled their eyes.

It is too hard.

I like the fact that people get a move in at the checkout! In supermarket queues I go behind the people who look the most efficient.

I just love ALDI & LIDL to death, can"t find anything bad to say about them.

It's hard the first time if you don't know the rules but wouldn't be the second time surely?

I'm intrigued now. The only Lidl near me is a bus ride. If I got a taxi back - around £7, is it likely I would still save money. I usually spent about £70 in Tescos and then there are the top up shops.

I love Lidl. Love their meat, fruit, jam.
Not keen on their fresh coffee so I go to Waitrose or sainsbury or wherever to buy Taylor's or similar.
It's much cheaper than other supermarkets.
Tesco have far too many multi-buy offers. I don't have th houseroom for that.
Sainsburys and waitrose are pricey, but good for top ups.
Asda is too busy.
I like the atmos in Lidl and aldi . its quieter than other supermarkets. Fewer brands/ choice means i get round faster. Im now well practiced at packing my own shopping fast. I alwaays remember to take grocery bags because they charge. Their carriers are much better than sainsbury or tesco,and they have some "forrin" brands soi sometimes feel like I'm on holiday doing a shop

Have just discovered Aldi. Love it.Their jams are beautiful- very few ingredients and in my opinion a rival for Bonne Maman.The continental meats are gorgeous.

Yesterday I bought a week's worth of groceries for £30. (two adults, 1 child) Fresh food, milk, eggs,breads, chocolates, some frozen stuff, lots of fresh and cured meats. The same at our local co-op would be double that I am sure.

Yes, I reckon a £40 shop at Lidl = £70 at sainsburys

The only issue I have with aldi is that their Moser Roth chocolate is so gorgeous that I am struggling to lose my baby weight! I may ask them to ban me from buying it along with the 3.99 wine that is too moreish

Okay, time to break the Lidl cherry. I am going to take a trip down there later. Is the meat okay? For a casserole. Or do I have to buy what's there and cook around it?

That is the Only criticism I have of Aldi and lidl that there meat is not as good as I get from my butcher .

I think the meat is great - it's not as good as a good butchers, no supermarket meat is imo, but a good butcher (as opposed to an average one) is more expensive than supermarket meat.

The meat at our Aldi is no better and no worse than at Morrisons IME. I try and use our local butcher, as we rarely eat meat, and they are expensive - but they are really good. It is a little local village butcher. But we don't eat enough meat for the expense to make much of am impact.

AH therein lies the rub, Sir & Nochips !
Still I suppose you gets what you pays for .

The reason that I go to Lidl is that I can get the things they are good at cheaper and then afford my local butcher.

I shop at Lidl's for their onion ring crisps (the one's in the multipacks). Am I the only person who chooses their supermarket based on their range of crisps?

How much is the Lidl frozen leg of lamb? It's £14 in Sainsburys.

Can anyone explain the difference (if any) between Aldi and Lidl and which do you prefer?and for what ?

The nearest Aldi is 10 miles from here , probably 8 miles to Lidl.Just been to Aldi, did save quite a bit but its a terribly depressing experience; small,dirty , very very narrow aisles only wide enough for one trolley , stuff all higgledy pickledy on shelves , for example some ham in the cold meats section , some shoved sideways in by the milk shower gel in boxes on the floor in the middle of aisle !BUT I did save, I reckon, about 25% on usual shop so worth the effort and it is quick .

I think the Lidl is a little newer , so might try that next week .